William Bourne, President of the Spring Valley Water Company, commissioned San Francisco architect, Willis Polk, to design this small temple celebrating the development of a major new freshwater supply to the San Francisco Bay Area. Polk patterned the Sunol Water Temple after the round Temple of Vesta, at Tivoli, Italy. Bourn was a loyal patron of Polk's, commissioning two houses and other buildings from him.

PCAD id: 7175